Karnataka HC Rejects Petition by Minor Rape Victim to Abort

The Karnataka High Court on Monday rejected a petition by the mother of a minor rape victim to terminate her pregnancy. The court did so on the grounds that the teenage girl’s pregnancy had crossed 20 weeks, the limit prescribed under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. This was established after two medical committees examined the girl, reports The Times of India.

The latest report by Vani Vilas Hospital has said that the girl is in good physical condition and does not need to terminate her pregnancy. It further said that the girl was in a sound state of mind and no obstetric complications or life-threatening congenital anomalies were detected in her foetus.

It was found that the girl had undergone one previous termination of pregnancy in the past 12 months and was pregnant once again.

The matter was earlier referred to the KC General Hospital team which had also advised against the termination of pregnancy.

The girl’s mother, who works as a domestic help in Bengaluru alleged that her daughter was kidnapped and raped. She had approached the court to constitute a medical committee that would examine her daughter and also grant the medical termination of her pregnancy.